Tuesday, March 19, AD 2024 2:51am

Saint of the Day Quote: Blessed Alban Roe

“My Saviour has suffered far more for me than all that; and I am willing to suffer the worst of torments for his sake.”

Blessed Alban Roe

 

A Benedictine Priest, Blessed Alban Roe was something of a rebel and a prankster.  He was noted for a hot temper, merry wit, dauntless courage and ardent faith.  He was martyred on the same day as Blessed Thomas Reynolds, he keeping up the courage of Reynolds who was 80 and who had spent 14 years in prison for the “crime” of being a Catholic priest.  Wikipedia, citing Bishop Challoner, captures well the spirit of the man:

 

At Tyburn he preached in a jovial fashion to the crowd about the meaning of his death. He was still playing to the crowd, holding up the proceedings by asking the Sheriff whether he could save his life by turning Protestant. The Sheriff agreed. Roe then turned to the crowd declaring “see then what the crime is for which I am to die and whether religion be not my only treason?”

His remark to one of his former gaolers was “My friend, I find that thou art a prophet; thou hast told me often I should be hanged.”

He created quite an impression by his death and when his remains were quartered there was a scramble to dip handkerchiefs into his blood and pick up straws covered in his blood as relics. The speech he made is rumoured to have been sent to Parliament and stored in their archives.

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